July 28, 2013
We attended church today in Terni. It was Ward Conference. A member of the Stake Presidency did a presentation about strengthening marriage in the combined Priesthood/Relief Society meeting. He played a talk given by Elder Clayton in General Conference where he talked about having strong marriages. Afterwards he and his wife expounded on the message.
He said he was 28 years old when he got married and was quite established in his ways. He had hobbies and sports that he liked to do. He used to come home after work every day and spend two hours on the computer and it took him a while to realize how it made his wife feel. One day it dawned on him how she must feel and never did it again.
When they were first married they nearly reached a crisis in their marriage because she was cooking pasta and put salt in the water before adding the pasta. He had always added salt after putting the pasta in. He couldn't believe she didn't do it the same way he did. He realized it probably didn't make a bit of difference when the salt when it and it certainly wasn't worth destroying their marriage over something as trivial as that.
Too many times we let the silly little things make us angry and blow them out of proportion. It really doesn't matter whether we squeeze the toothpaste tube from the bottom or in the middle as long as we both brush our teeth.
Sunday, July 28, 2013
Church in Battipaglia
We attended a Branch in Battipaglia one Domenica (Sunday). The members were so excited because they had record breaking attendance that day. The goal was to get over 50 people (members, visitors, and investigators) to church. It's tourist season and there were visitors from Germany there. Michael and I and one of the assistants was there. They had some investigators there. All in all, 56 people attended that day. They were so excited. Two weeks later that tiny Branch had 7 baptisms in one day. That might be a record. I have a testimony that "The Hastening" is real.
Haircuts
July 27, 2013
Eventually it gets to the point where we have to take care of such mundane and worldly things as getting haircuts.
Guido owns the hair salon just down the street. When Michael had his hair cut, he kept telling them not to get it too short. The response was that it didn't matter because he was tall. He kept asking what that had to do with it. Evidently short is all they know. Because of the language barrier, I was at the mercy of whatever Michael told them. He assures me he told them everything I said. From the very first snip of the scissors and the weird little smile on Michael's face, I knew I was destined for short, too. I was right. Guido said my head was shaped wrong and he had to cut my hair to fix the shape of my head. Whatever!
Eventually it gets to the point where we have to take care of such mundane and worldly things as getting haircuts.
Guido owns the hair salon just down the street. When Michael had his hair cut, he kept telling them not to get it too short. The response was that it didn't matter because he was tall. He kept asking what that had to do with it. Evidently short is all they know. Because of the language barrier, I was at the mercy of whatever Michael told them. He assures me he told them everything I said. From the very first snip of the scissors and the weird little smile on Michael's face, I knew I was destined for short, too. I was right. Guido said my head was shaped wrong and he had to cut my hair to fix the shape of my head. Whatever!
Saturday, July 27, 2013
Well Done Thou Good and Faithful Servant
July 25, 2013
We had four missionaries--tre anzioni (three elders) and una sorella (one sister) who have successfully and honorably completed their missions. They are ready to begin the rest of their lives. We haven't known them long, but love them as if we have always known them.
On the last night of their mission, before they head for home, they come to the villa and spend the night. We have a special dinner and testimony meeting with them. It's a very emotional, spiritual evening.
The Assistants and maybe a couple of other missionaries spend the night as well to help out and carpool missionaries to the airport the next day. We had one missionary who is being transferred to Malta who spent the night as well.
Two of the four missionaries started out by saying they didn't really have a testimony when they came to Italy. They did it because everybody else did or because they felt like they owed it to family. They are leaving with a firm testimony that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the one and only true church on the earth today. We didn't know them when they first came to Italy, but we know them now and they are powerful young men. Miracles happen when you are in the service of the Lord.
We had four missionaries--tre anzioni (three elders) and una sorella (one sister) who have successfully and honorably completed their missions. They are ready to begin the rest of their lives. We haven't known them long, but love them as if we have always known them.
On the last night of their mission, before they head for home, they come to the villa and spend the night. We have a special dinner and testimony meeting with them. It's a very emotional, spiritual evening.
The Assistants and maybe a couple of other missionaries spend the night as well to help out and carpool missionaries to the airport the next day. We had one missionary who is being transferred to Malta who spent the night as well.
Two of the four missionaries started out by saying they didn't really have a testimony when they came to Italy. They did it because everybody else did or because they felt like they owed it to family. They are leaving with a firm testimony that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the one and only true church on the earth today. We didn't know them when they first came to Italy, but we know them now and they are powerful young men. Miracles happen when you are in the service of the Lord.
Acqua Sacra
July 25, 2013
Some of the missionaries didn't leave until around noon. While we were waiting for the trainers to come and meet their new "greenies", we took them for a walk up the street to see Acqua Sacra and let them each have a taste of the "sacred water".
Some of the missionaries didn't leave until around noon. While we were waiting for the trainers to come and meet their new "greenies", we took them for a walk up the street to see Acqua Sacra and let them each have a taste of the "sacred water".
July 25, 2013
Some of the missionaries had to catch an early morning train in order to reach their final destination. That meant they had to leave the villa by about 5:45 am. Once they were on the train, they still had a long ride ahead of them. The longest train takes ten hours to reach it's destination.
Really strong bonds are formed between missionaries in the MTC. Those who didn't have to get up that early did so anyway just so they could say goodbye. It's feasible that some of them may not see each other until they return to the villa in 18 to 24 months when they return home. It's also possible that some of them may serve in the same zone or even be companions at some later date. We leave those decisions to the Lord.
Some of the missionaries had to catch an early morning train in order to reach their final destination. That meant they had to leave the villa by about 5:45 am. Once they were on the train, they still had a long ride ahead of them. The longest train takes ten hours to reach it's destination.
Really strong bonds are formed between missionaries in the MTC. Those who didn't have to get up that early did so anyway just so they could say goodbye. It's feasible that some of them may not see each other until they return to the villa in 18 to 24 months when they return home. It's also possible that some of them may serve in the same zone or even be companions at some later date. We leave those decisions to the Lord.
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